Yes, our taxes are far from high, but my point was that we extract value from controlled territory by monetary taxation, not direct confiscation of grain, gold or whatever the locals produce. That means we want more happy, skilled and free workers who do a lot of stuff that can be taxed, not work slaves to death while producing directly for us.
Yes, our taxes are far from high, but my point was that we extract value from controlled territory by monetary taxation, not direct confiscation of grain, gold or whatever the locals produce. That means we want more happy, skilled and free workers who do a lot of stuff that can be taxed, not work slaves to death while producing directly for us.
I agree, and I get your point! I was making a joke about how unusual it was, in today's context, to see someone say that taxation is the opposite of theft...
People usually say "it's theft" or "it isn't theft", but "it's the opposite of theft" is definitely strange IMO.
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Mar 27, 2020 at 6:24 AM, finished with 85 posts and 19 votes.
[X] Meet the Fossoway girl, and as you had aided the heir to House Mallery, so might Buttercup aid the girl in crowning herself in glory, and to follow it a song of the blunderous and blighted Ser Fossoway, rotten to the core, made a fool by a green apple finally ripened.
-[X] As far as the competition itself, you intend to make a name for yourself as a scoundrel and a jester, but also someone clearly sticking up for the little man, so when Ser Fossoway makes a clear villain of himself at the competition, you narrate events in song to make it certain people remember him that way.
-[X] Should the Knight like his honor avenged, ensure it is made known beforehand that someone had signed the minstrel Buttercup up for the melee as some kind of joke, though given the man's character one he is likely foolhardy enough to dare. --[X] Start by giving her Greater Magic Weapon, Cat's Grace, Heroes Feast and Greater Heroism along with Moment of Greatness as a reserve or in case she needs an extra boost to start, as it doubles morale bonuses. Then a potion of Blessed Aim right off, followed later by another potion of Divine Favor and then hit her with Brilliant Inspiration, for a more crucial bout, explained as something he received as a gift from a fey maiden who's heart he stole (though implied more jokingly--or pitifully--as something he was handed to stop making advances towards her). You'll disguise all of that, as though only two of those spells diverge from the Bard spell list, and low level ones at that, you kind of want her to get away with it, too, using Cloak of Khyber and Magic Aura. You will use two Mythic Power to make Greater Heroism Extended (lasting 40 minutes) and Cat's Grace persistent, as casting 9th Level spells sends too big a wave to magical senses (not to mention it being a waste of high level spells, not that you ever cared about that) so as to remain more subtle. -[X] Because of the caveat of you having to be subtle about your spellcasting, you will apply all long duration buffs right off the bat to ensure she is benefiting as much as possible from spell effects throughout the competition while out of sight of anyone who could detect such. Any further spellcasting will only be conducted if you are absolutely sure you won't be found out, using divination to determine well or woe of that if necessary. ---[X] This way, she should have at least a +13 bonus to attack rolls throughout the competition, up to +16 for a more important bout, potentially up to +18 during with Moment of Greatness for some mad bulls eyes, in addition to a best of two rolls from Brilliant Inspiration. Even supposing she had real competition in this contest, she shouldn't expect to be defeated by anything less than a extremely specialized PC who is similarly cheating. ----[X] Why go so far to help some girl he's never met? Well, aside from wanting to see her succeed since he's got a soft-spot for the underdog trying to prove themselves to the world, liking the idea of writing a song (when don't we?), Ser Fossoway was an utter ass to Buttercup. Now, you can insult Buttercup's friends as you please, because they'll probably prove you wrong and they're more than capable of taking care of themselves, but no one makes fun of the bard. The lute is the most deadly weapon in the world, and you intend to show people why.
I agree, and I get your point! I was making a joke about how unusual it was, in today's context, to see someone say that taxation is the opposite of theft...
People usually say "it's theft" or "it isn't theft", but "it's the opposite of theft" is definitely strange IMO.
The political discourse and language has been dictated by conservatives and Neo-Liberals for far too long. The idea that taxation is inherently wrong is mindbogglingly stupid and even thinking about it in the terms of theft is repulsive and nonsensical. Taxation is one of the linchpins of every societal contract in the history of man, because shared resources are the only thing that can establish a society, as opposed to individual actors.
Wenyld Fossoway ran her fingers along the polished curve of her hickory bow as she drew it from its hiding place under the loose floorboard the brownies had showed her. She frowned at a smudge only to blink twice and see it vanish before her eyes. I should've slept more last night, the girl admitted to herself with a sigh.
It had seemed like such a good idea to get some more practice in, especially with the moon almost full in the sky. It was not like she could take a turn at the bales without risking her secret getting out. Her mother would never let her hear the end of it if she publicly enlisted in an archery competition like a... a Dornishwoman, and truth be told Wenyld herself had not been too keen on her future suitors looking at her in askance for it, but she would be damned if she backed down now after uncle Alfryd had hit her over it.
Dress like a boy, get treated like one, a rather nasty voice inside her noted, but Wenyld was in no mood to listen as she drew out her bow, arrows and quiver one after another. She was pretty sure her lord father knew she had taken these with her from home, though he probably imagined she was off shooting tree stumps not targets in front of all of Ashford and the guests besides. He especially wouldn't like her pretending to be a New Barrel mystery archer, but hopefully Wenlyd would be able to make a good enough showing to make him forget that little indiscretion. It's not like she'd been caught with the collar of her dress unbuttoned in the company of a bastard hedge knight the way her elder sister Lysa had.
Later, Wenlyd would wonder if some puckish spirit had been listening in on her thoughts then for no sooner had the thought of her sister's folly crossed her mind that she heard a discreet knock sounded at the window of her room. There was a bird so fantastical it must surely be some fey creation, deep almost shimmering blue brighter than the clearest summer sky. But it was what it carried in its beak that sent Wenlyd's heart thumping in her throat, a letter.
The girl practically tore the message from the bird's talons and read with increasing bemusement, that slowly gave way to a wondering smile:
Begging pardons for addressing you without an introduction, my lady, it has come to my attention that we share certain interests in common, particularly in regards to your uncle who has acted churlishly towards me and even more so towards you. Being a singer by trade I have no interest in claiming a tithe of blood, though I would puncture his pride if I can. In the hopes that yours can be the arrow to puncture that most engorged of attributes I wish to gift you with certain blessings and magics that have come into my possession through varied means too complex to lay down here.
-Buttercup the Bard
As she ran her hand over the looping ornate B of the signature Wenlyd considered all the ways in which accepting this offer could go wrong. The sender could be lying, ill disposed towards her, meaning to ruin her reputation or worse her family's. She could get caught with some spell or trinket and thrown out of the competition in shame, mayhap even cursed by one of the fey if certain stories she had heard about them were true. And well... perhaps it was rather petty, but she could place badly even with whatever help her mysterious benefactor might offer. Wenlyd was honest enough with herself to know her pride would sting quite badly then.
On the other hand it was not like she was going to get a chance like this again. A few years ago she had heard her grandmother say that one should do all the silly things while young, the better to be sober and responsible upon growing into the full responsibilities of one's rank. Granted Wenlyd did not think Grandmother Elora meant entering an archery competition counting upon the magic offered in mysterious messages, but that was all 'a maybe down the Mander' as the saying went.
***
Buttercup the Bard turned out to the the sort of fellow morality plays warned careless maidens about, with dark wavy hair, a pleasant face unmarked by scar or pox and a glint of mischief in his eye. Fortunately Wenyld was at least four years too young to fall for his charms... well alright, maybe two years to judge from the fluttering in her stomach. Maybe I should apologize to Lysa for being so hard on her about the hedge knight, she thought absently.
Such thoughts promptly faded from her mind as he began producing potions, philters and magical seals from his seemingly endless pockets. Wenlyd felt lighter and surer than she ever had in her life, like she could dance on a cliff laughing and spinning, like she could shoot arrows blind and will them to land where they should. When the sorcerer had started producing a magical feast she had actually giggled aloud. She had already eaten something like this when she arrived at Ashford Keep, courtesy of Lord Owen's fey servants...
A sudden suspicion came upon Wenyld Fossoway, passing her lips almost without thought: "Are you a fey?"
What does Buttercup reply?
[] Write in
OOC: This is longer than I expected, but given how fey-like Viserys is behaving here I felt I would be doing the girl's intelligence a disfavor if she did not ask the obvious question. I've also tried to make Wenyld feel like more than just 'the rebellious lady who wants to have adventurers', giving her a more nuanced characterization and even some internalized prejudices. Hopefully this is not too much for a character in a fun little aside like this, but the way I write these sort of details just spontaneously generate if I'm narrating from a character's PoV.
The political discourse and language has been dictated by conservatives and Neo-Liberals for far too long. The idea that taxation is inherently wrong is mindbogglingly stupid and even thinking about it in the terms of theft is repulsive and nonsensical. Taxation is one of the linchpins of every societal contract in the history of man, because shared resources are the only thing that can establish a society, as opposed to individual actors.
Yes, of course.
I wonder if that's an idea that exists in-setting? It sounds like something the Red Priests would have preached, for example. @DragonParadox? What's the in-setting justification for taxes? Do people suffer them through force, or is there some sort of big "it's to prepare for Winter as a community" or "it's for everyone's safety from the Dothraki/Ironborn/Slavers" thing going on, spread by some institution or other?
It if isn't already a big thing, we could make it a pamphlet...
"My lady I'm insulted! A Fey would dance about and call this fate or destiny or some such claptrap. They'd spin a tale and claim moral superiority by helping you in your worthwhile endeavor. Why I'd wager my favorite lute they'd even go so far as to cheat. I am far better than some Fey.
I'm an extremely petty man who just so happens to be both extremely bored and somewhat wealthy for the immediate future. We're much more dangerous."
[X] "My lady, I'm insulted! A Fey would dance about and call this fate or destiny or some such claptrap. They'd spin a tale and claim moral superiority by helping you in your worthwhile endeavor. Why I'd wager my favorite lute they'd even go so far as to cheat. I am far better than some Fey.
-[X] I'm an extremely petty man who just so happens to be both extremely bored and somewhat wealthy for the immediate future. We're much more dangerous."
Yes, of course.
I wonder if that's an idea that exists in-setting? It sounds like something the Red Priests would have preached, for example. @DragonParadox? What's the in-setting justification for taxes? Do people suffer them through force, or is there some sort of big "it's to prepare for Winter as a community" or "it's for everyone's safety from the Dothraki/Ironborn/Slavers" thing going on, spread by some institution or other?
It if isn't already a big thing, we could make it a pamphlet...
Make it a nice "circle of taxation". Start in the bottom left with the farmer and craftsmen standing before their huts and paying their taxes while grumbling a bit about them. Then go on through the imperial bureaucracy and show how everyone, even the high and mighty, have to pay them, just that the rich have to pay much more of it. Then go up to the benevolent Emperor Viserys, who overlooks the realm while deep in thought and orders his attendants to bring the bags back down. He sends them to legionaires, who are busy fighting bandits. He sends them to a few people in crow masks, who are gutting a Demon. Roads, bridges, channels, healers, houses... even a few poor farmers who are shown next to their wilted crops, who are getting coin and grain from the king.
Full circle, we are now in the bottom right, the place were the figures from the start are going after they pay their taxes. It's not a village of hovels, but a nice city with even roads, nice houses and full granaries. A watchman in the corner catching a thief being the last depicted person to get some of the tax money from above.
[X] Viserys chuckles pleasantly, before answering, "Why, the very notion that I could be one of the Fey...That's just silly, my dear. Obviously, I am a dragon!" He smiles, showing pearly white teeth while raising both both hands, curled like claws, to display perfectly manicured nails. "Are my fangs and talons not terrifying to behold?"
Yes, of course.
I wonder if that's an idea that exists in-setting? It sounds like something the Red Priests would have preached, for example. @DragonParadox? What's the in-setting justification for taxes? Do people suffer them through force, or is there some sort of big "it's to prepare for Winter as a community" or "it's for everyone's safety from the Dothraki/Ironborn/Slavers" thing going on, spread by some institution or other?
It if isn't already a big thing, we could make it a pamphlet...
The idea that taxation is theft is certainly not unheard of in setting, but no one has formalized what is usually a curse upon the heads of the local tax collectors. In terms of formal thought on the matter is that taxation and tithes are justified by the actions of the one collecting them, whether it is a virtuous king, or legitimate city government or a god looking for the salvation of the faithful.
I'd like to point out that, if we were a fey, Ercwinter's response wouldn't technically be lying. A fey might spin a tale, claim moral superiority, and cheat. Any given fey surely thinks themselves superior to some fey. And, of course, it is possible for a particular fey to also be a petty man acting out of sheer boredom. Such fey men being more dangerous than an ordinary fey is a truism.
If the girl is smart enough to consider we might be a fey, we don't want to scare her off with an answer that is too fey-like unless we actually want her to think we're a fey.
The idea that taxation is theft is certainly not unheard of in setting, but no one has formalized what is usually a curse upon the heads of the local tax collectors. In terms of formal thought on the matter is that taxation and tithes are justified by the actions of the one collecting them, whether it is a virtuous king, or legitimate city government or a god looking for the salvation of the faithful.
And make sure that there are no Corruption on the side Bureaucracy in order to placate their worry.
Say, aside from the Inquisition, are there any method to making sure that the person we entrusts with this project does NOT deliberately delays the procession?
